


Numb Butt

by Colleen17



Category: Emergency!
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-19
Updated: 2013-07-19
Packaged: 2017-12-20 16:51:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/889592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Colleen17/pseuds/Colleen17
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes it takes all your friends to pull you through an ordeal, numb butt and all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Numb Butt

Johnny woke to the sound of running water. He opened his eyes slowly and blinked. It took some time for his vision to clear. His head was pounding and his left ankle was sending searing pain up his leg. He tried to remember what happened. He had been searching an old house with Roy. He had gone into a large room, and then he remembered, the floor caved in. He looked up, there was no opening. _‘That's strange if the floor caved in where's the hole?’_ He looked around the area to find the source of the light that was stretching across the ground.

 _‘Where was he?’_ It was a room but it only had three walls and no floor. I'm under the house, but where's the water coming from? The hoses he guessed or maybe a pipe had burst with all the heat. The heat was stifling. He was sweating and the air was really thick, humid and smoky.

Where was the mask he was wearing? He still had his SCBA gear on but his mask was nowhere to be seen. He felt around for the hose from the tank and finally found it. The end of the hose was jagged from being sliced, and air was escaping from it. He put the tube near his mouth and breathed in the escaping oxygen. He then took off the SCBA and switched it off. He might need that air later, the smoke might become too much so he'd save it for when he needed it.

His ankle reminded him that it was in need of attention. He could hear Roy's voice, _'You need to focus on your injuries. Stop any bleeding, calm down your breathing. Take that boot off and find something to splint your ankle…focus Junior and stay awake!'_ Johnny started, he had dozed off or had he passed out. He couldn't remember. What was it Roy said, oh that's right taking his boot off. He reached down to undo the laces. There was no way he'd be able to slip the boot off normally. He grabbed for his scissors but the pack that had all his necessary items like scissors and tweezers etc. was missing. He realised it must have come off when he fell. He looked around him and caught a glimpse of some silver in the moist dirt. It was his smaller scissors but that would have to do.

Wait, the ground was now wet. It wasn't before. The running water was spreading across the ground, so soon he'd be sitting in mud. He needed to move, to either get higher or on top of something to keep dry. He couldn't decide what to do first, take off his boot or move.

 _'Stop John, assess your situation. Focus on one thing at a time.'_ His Captain's commanding voice rang out. _'Gage, move your butt to a safer place then get that ankle splinted.'_ Johnny opened his eyes. He looked up and realised he had fallen asleep again. I've got to stop doing that he said to himself. He looked around; across from him was a concrete slab, at least a twelve inches thick. That would give him the much needed reprieve from the moist ground. He knew this was going to hurt but he had no choice, he needed to move.

He reached forward and slowly dragged himself and his SCBA gear across the ground. His head swam, his ears were throbbing and his leg was sending knife like pain up his left side. He could feel his whole body shaking as he dragged himself up over the cement. He was panting, sweating and his head was swimming by the time he got himself up on the cement _. 'Slow down your breathing Junior'_ , he heard Roy's calming voice. Everything swam back into focus and he slowly turned himself over. He pulled himself back and slowly sat up and leant against a wall.

 _'Come on Gage stop slacking off. Get on with the job. I'm not doing it for you Gage, get started on your leg. I haven't got all day.'_ Ok…ok geeze Chet you're a grouch. Johnny raised his hand and rubbed the sweat from his eyes. He looked around, and saw that he was on the cement. He must have fallen asleep again he thought. At least he would stay dry for a while. What was it Chet said, oh yeah, his leg. He pulled out the small scissors from his pocket and started to cut. It was slow going but he finally got to the bottom of his boot. He cut around the sole to open it up more and then slowly slipped his foot out.

Johnny rubbed his hand across his forehead and eyes. The sweat was dripping down his face and stinging his eyes. He didn't realise that most of it was blood from a cut near his hairline. He remembered he needed to splint his ankle. _'Sometimes you have to be resourceful, use what you have in front of you. There's always a way.'_ Mike's engineering mind could come up with the most innovative ideas. Johnny opened his eyes. He groaned when he realised he must have fallen asleep again. I’ve got to stop doing that he chided himself.

What was it Mike said, oh yeah use what's around you. He searched around him. His boot, scissors and his SCBA gear. The sole of his boot was probably solid enough to use as a splint he thought. If only he could slice it in half, he'd be able to splint it both sides. He cut away the rest of the boot from the sole. He used the lace to tie it to his ankle. He then cut away his SCBA straps and tied them around his ankle. Splinting his ankle hurt like hell, but securing it and stopping the joint from moving reduced the pain.

Johnny got himself comfortable and looked around. The water was still seeping across the floor but not at an alarming rate. The heat was overwhelming and caused him to sweat profusely. He found himself constantly wiping the stinging sweat from his eyes. They stung badly. He wished he had some water. His throat burned and his stomach churned. _'You know what would be good right now chilly.'_ Marco smiled and rubbed his stomach, _'chilly and eggs'_ Marco said excitedly.

Johnny woke and suddenly retched. He had just enough time to turn and lean over the side of the cement and lose the contents of his stomach. Chilly will rot your gut Marco he said to himself. I must have fallen asleep again. His head was throbbing and his vision wasn't clearing. Everything looked distorted. He rubbed his eyes but the sweat continued to sting them. He pulled his shirt out, undid a few buttons at the bottom and pulled it up to wipe his eyes.

His hands were shaking and he started to breathe fast. _'Slow down your breathing Junior.'_ Roy calmly told him. _'Stay calm John, we'll find you.'_ Cap said with the utmost confidence.

"Johnny where are you, can you hear me?" Chet yelled. Johnny smiled, Chet always seemed to be the one to find him if he was in trouble. Johnny sighed, realising all he could really do was wait.

"Come on…answer me Gage. I know you're down here somewhere."  Chet yelled.

"Shut up Chet I'm trying to sleep here." Johnny croaked out feeling annoyed with the lineman, even if he wasn’t real.

"No you don't Junior…stay awake. You hear me stay awake." Roy called out.

"John…listen to your partner pal. We'll be with you in a minute." Cap shouted, hoping the paramedic was listening.

"Yeah right Cap. I'll just wait here." Johnny slurred. His head was still pounding, his leg was throbbing and to top things off his butt was going to sleep from sitting on the cement. He laughed thinking if everyone could see him now he'd tell them his butt was going numb. _'Move your butt Gage.'_ Mike would say as he squeezed in next to him on the bench at the picnic table. Mike often sat next to him when they ate outside.

"Johnny, stay awake." He heard Roy tell him sternly. He frowned, and wondered if he had fallen asleep again. He flinched when he felt a hand on his neck.

Johnny opened his eyes and Roy's face swam into focus. "Trust me to dream of Roy taking my vitals," he mumbled.

"Would you rather Brice be doing it?" Roy asked.

Johnny opened his eyes wider and blinked rapidly trying to clear his vision and focus on the activity around him. Roy, Chet and Cap were kneeling around him. "Are you really here or am I dreaming?"

"You're not dreaming John." Cap patted his knee hoping that it would reassure the young paramedic.

"We've been searching for you for hours Gage. Trust you to find the most remote place to fall into." Chet scolded him, which was more out of relief for finding his friend.

"Just stay still…here's some oxygen. Now let me wipe your face first." Roy reached over and wiped his partner’s face with some gauze.

"The sweat stung my eyes." Johnny told his best friend. "My ankles broken Roy and my head really hurts.”

"That's not sweat Johnny, its blood. Nice splint though, very resilient."  Roy complimented his partner, as he continued to wipe the blood from Johnny's eyes.

"Mike helped me…told me to look around and use what I had." Johnny started to swallow and felt his stomach begin to churn. "Marco and his chilli," whispered Johnny as he suddenly turned and lost what was left in his stomach.

Everyone looked at each other confused. "What did he say?" Marco asked as he lay the stokes next to Johnny.

"Don't worry about it Marco, Johnny's lost it." Chet announced. Roy shook his head and placed the oxygen on Johnny's face.

Mike handed Roy the splint for Johnny's ankle. "Like my splint Mike?" Mike looked at Johnny confused and then at Roy for an explanation. Roy just shook his head.

Splinting Johnny's ankle left him panting and grimacing. His teeth were clenched so hard he thought they'd break. He tried to stay quiet and not yell out, but the pain was too excruciating. Soon he was groaning which then turned into loud grunts through clenched teeth. His friends tried to sooth him by rubbing his shoulder and someone was holding his hand. He squeezed it drawing strength from it. He looked up to see whose hand he was holding. Cap smiled at John, his eyes telling him not to be embarrassed. He wasn't, he had been drawing strength from his friends throughout the whole ordeal.

"Ok, let's lift him into the stokes," instructed Roy.

"Careful, my butts numb" Johnny stated as they were about to lift him. Everyone froze, not quite believing what Johnny had just said.

"Twit!" Cap declared as they continued to put Johnny in the stokes.

All four crew members lifted Johnny while Roy carried his gear. They slowly made their way out from under the house. When they got to the surface, it was dark. Johnny wondered just how much time had passed. The fresh night air felt wonderful. It was so cool it sent small shivers through his abused body.

As if reading his partner’s mind Roy said, "You were trapped for six hours.” Johnny nodded and relaxed. He was safe in his friends’ hands.

They made their way to the ambulance, and placed Johnny on the gurney. Roy climbed into the ambulance and immediately contacted Rampart. Brackett, Early and Dixie had been standing at the base station waiting for word. IVs were quickly established and Roy cleaned and dressed Johnny's head wound in the brighter light of the ambulance.

Johnny looked at his partner. "I tried to stay calm like you told me Roy and I assessed my surroundings and moved to the concrete to stay dry like Cap told me. Although, the cement wasn't such a great idea, my butt's numb Roy." Roy raised his eyebrows. Johnny was frowning and looking at his partner waiting for him to say something.

"So you keep telling me Johnny…soon you'll be on a soft bed at Rampart." Roy patted Johnny's arm and wondered what Johnny had gone through while waiting for them to find him.

The ambulance backed into the hospital’s emergency entrance. The doors swung open before it even stopped and Johnny was quickly transported to a treatment room. They carefully undid all the straps and lifted him onto the bed. "Careful of his butt, its numb." Roy casually announced. Everyone looked at him a little shocked and then looked down at Johnny.

Johnny smiled. "Well it is." He confirmed.

Dr Brackett shook his head. Only Johnny would be more worried about a numb butt than a broken ankle or a head injury. "I’m for whatever it takes to cope with the pain." Dr Brackett stated.

After x-rays Johnny was taken up to surgery. Dr Early and Dixie found Roy in the doctor's lounge. "He's gone to surgery Roy…they need to do a bit of work on the ankle. He has a moderate concussion…no skull fracture. He was lucky, things could have been a lot worse considering how long it took to get to him." Dr Early said as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

"It's strange…he said he followed instructions from all of us." Roy was rubbing his finger over the corner of his eye. "He didn't realise he was bleeding…He thought it was sweat stinging his eyes."

"The head injury probably caused him to hallucinate." Dr Early informed Roy.

"What was that about his butt?" asked Dixie. She walked into the doctor’s lounge and sat next to Roy.

"When we lifted him to put him in the stokes, he said his butt was numb." Roy shrugged his shoulders. Dixie smiled and shook her head. "I told him he'd have a nice soft bed to lie on here at Rampart." Roy chuckled.

"Well he'll certainly be lying on a soft bed for a while, with that concussion and ankle." Dr Early confirmed and shook his head. "His butt was numb. What was he lying on?"

"He had crawled over to a cement slab, because water was gradually seeping through under the house and soaking up the ground. He was sitting up on it when we found him." Roy rubbed the back of his neck smiling. "When we found him, he thought we were a hallucination." Roy smiled as he remembered. "I'm just glad he's going to be alright."

"We all are Roy." Dr Brackett's deep voice rang through the room. "I just left him. They're setting his ankle now. No complications, he should make a full recovery, numb butt and all." Dr Brackett said and chuckled.

"I'll be sure to give him a butt massage when he's in his room." Dixie stated. Everyone laughed as relief swept over them.


End file.
